Our Blog

Selling a Home with Pets: Key Considerations

January 17, 2020

Many people are pet lovers, but when someone is looking to buy a new house, walking into a house with pets can be a big deterrent for some potential homebuyers.

For real estate agents and brokers, there’s already plenty to worry about in regards to getting a home ready for showings and the last thing you’d want is to worry about old dog smell or cat hair or other various pets out running around. If you’re troubled thinking that a pet in one client’s home may lower the chances that the property will be sold, it can help to put some easy tips to use.

The Downside of Pets in a Home

Pets make a lot of people happy, but they can make potential homebuyers uncomfortable. Not everyone is a dog person or likes cats. Some people are even allergic or carry emotional scars from past instances involving a pet or someone else’s pet.

If someone’s dog is a jumper or their cat likes to surprise attack people around corners, it can potentially lead to avoidable liabilities, like slipping and falling. In this case, it’s always good for agents and brokers to carry real estate insurance to protect their reputation and cover any costs related to a freak accident involving pets onsite. But it’s also a good thing to understand that not everyone is ready to view a home where pets are located.

How to Show a Home Where Pets Live

While it may not be possible to get rid of the pets entirely, such as having the owner(s) take them off-site for a day, there are still ways to limit their presence. First, you can have the owners of the home put them in the backyard, and if the viewing includes the backyard, you can put them behind a gated or fenced-off area momentarily.

If removing them entirely from the home is an option, suggest to the homeowners that their pets can be taken to work, doggy daycare, or out for a drive if the showing is short and scheduled. Finding a compromise to this issue will not only make the potential homebuyers more comfortable but it will help put the owner(s) of the home in a better position as far as selling the property.

For those who don’t wish to move their pets out of the home, as well as their items that may carry their smell and hair, there are still other ways to minimize their impact. Start by suggesting that all pet toiletries and toys are kept out of sight and clean. If someone wants to check out the laundry room and a kitty litter box hasn’t changed, it could be enough to turn someone off from buying the house.

If there are stains and odor spots in the house, those should be removed before showings even begin. To avoid this, work with the home seller on getting professions out to seek out and clean any areas that need to be.

About Associations Liability Insurance Agency (ALIA)

The ALIA Team (part of the Riverton Insurance Agency Corporation), specializes in helping real estate professionals find the affordable and comprehensive liability insurance they need, without the hassle. ALIA dates its roots to 1991 with the founding of FREA, Foundation of Real Estate Associates. In 2013, ALIA was created to work with multiple insurance companies thereby broadening the portfolio of products to customers. For more information about our products and services, contact us today at (800) 882-4410.